Speech and inauguration of the annual ITS Growing activity by ITS Chancellor Prof Dr. Ir Mochamad Ashari MEng IPU AEng in the ITS Rectorate Building area

ITS Campus, ITS News – Empowering the nickname Smart Eco Campus and commemorating World Biodiversity Day, which fell on May 22, the Sepuluh Nopember Institute of Technology (ITS) again acted by planting dozens of trees in the ITS environment. The activity wrapped in the ITS Growing event is a series of annual events in line with ITS Flowering and ITS Fruiting, which were held in the ITS Rectorate Building area Monday (30/5) morning.

On this occasion, ITS launched the action of planting 35 flowering and fruiting trees in the ITS environment. However, in the activities that ITS officials participated in with students who were members of the ITS Cycle Environmental Lovers (PLH) and the Environmental Lovers and Observers Group (KPPL), this time only planted Pule trees. The rest has been produced and distributed in the ITS Buncitan campus, Sidoarjo.

Not only Pule, but there are also other flowering and fruiting trees such as Tabebuya, Jengkol, and Durian Musang King trees, to the giant Baobab tree, which is also planted to support the appearance and beauty of the campus. This tree planting is centered at several points, including in ​​the Plaza dr Angka building, the Rectorate Building area, the center of ITS Graha Ten November, gate 1, ITS forest area, to the ITS Buncitan Campus where banana and jengkol trees are planted.

In his remarks, ITS Chancellor Prof. Dr. Ir Mochamad Ashari MEng IPU AEng expressed his pride for ITS, which actively contributes to reforestation, especially on campus aesthetics. This activity is expected to continue to be carried out to increase the attractiveness of prospective ITS students.

Social Engineering Coordinator of ITS Smart Eco Campus Unit Herdayanto Sulistyo Putro SS MSi when giving a speech at the ITS Growing event in the form of planting dozens of tree species

So that later, continued the Chancellor, who is usually called Ashari, prospective ITS students are not only interested in academic and non-academic conditions but can also attract students’ interest through environmental insight. “For example, the Tabebuia tree that blooms has succeeded in attracting and becoming a byword among the public because of its beauty,” he said.

This ITS Electrical Engineering Professor said that this activity was initially carried out on January 10, 2020, by planting Tabebuya trees, and it was hoped that the flowers would develop after three years. It was then continued in 2021, when ITS planted fruit trees on ITS land with the assistance of 1,100 Jengkol trees, early coconut, and avocado, to Musang King durian.

Agreeing with Ashari’s statement, Social Engineering Coordinator of ITS Smart Eco Campus Unit Herdayanto Sulistyo Putro SS MSi said ITS Growth is favorable to increasing environmental awareness. “Although the activity can be simple, the most important thing is that it can be carried out, and the results can be seen in a tangible form,” said the lecturer, who is familiarly called Danang.

According to Danang, some of the trees used have also been selected and adapted to the ITS vision and mission to advance humanity. For example, the Baobab tree undoubtedly symbolizes diversity and eternity, with the hope that ITS can imitate the tree to continue providing the best service for the community. “According to the principle of the Baobab tree, the taller it is, the more it protects nature,” he said proudly.

ITS Chancellor Prof Dr. Ir Mochamad Ashari MEng IPU AEng while planting Tabebuya trees accompanied by a number of ITS officials

The hope is that the collaboration between ITS and Smart Eco Campus should not just stop so that the benefits can be enjoyed to the fullest. “It needs continuous maintenance such as regular watering,” said the lecturer at the Chemistry Department.

With activities like this, ITS can be a pioneer in making campuses in Indonesia, especially the city of Surabaya, greener in the future. In addition, it is also hoped that all human beings, especially ITS residents, will constantly maintain and maintain the environment occupied by various living creatures. (ITS Public Relation/far)

Reporter: Fauzan Fakhrizal Azmi